Category

In February when Starbucks announced the changes to their loyalty program that will reward people based on how much they spend rather than how often they visit the cafe, some regulars customers were upset.

Customers who used to get a free coffee or snack after 12 visits, even if they spent less than $2 each time, would now need to spend more to earn the same amount of points under the new system.

Starbucks responded, by saying the changes come from customers themselves, whose most popular request on feedback site My Starbucks Idea was that they could gain more stars for more money spent.

Additionally, just last week the company announced that consumers will soon be able to earn points for money they spend almost anywhere, making it easier to rack up free drinks. They will introduce the Starbucks Rewards Prepaid Card is a reloadable prepaid card that allows customers to earn stars for all card purchases made virtually anywhere that Visa is accepted.

Starting in April, Starbucks customers will earn two stars for every $1 spent at Starbucks, compared to the previous model of earning one star for every visit. It will take 125 stars for Gold status members to earn a free reward, compared to 12 stars under the old system. Existing loyalty members will see the number of stars in their accounts multiplied by 11 when the new program begins.

In an effort to attract more customers the coffee chain has teamed up with music-streaming service Spotify and ride-sharing service Lyft Inc. to allow those customers to get reward points that can be redeemed at Starbucks.

What do you think about these changes? Share your comments with us below.